It's all about you in Him....

I love the simplicity and straightforward way the New Century Version reads. Here is Psalm 37:3-6. "Trust in the Lord and do good. Live in the land and feed on truth. Enjoy serving the Lord, and He will give you what you want. Depend on the Lord; trust Him, and He will take care of you. Then your goodness will shine like the sun, and your fairness like the noonday sun." "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart," is how I learned that verse in the NIV back when I first became a Christian at 29. I was so used trying to maneuver life to my benefit. I was pretty subtle about it and people thought I was so giving and nice, but it was often for the purpose of hoping to get something back. When I gave my heart to Christ and wanted to make Him happy, my new outlook changed my motivation in life. Instead of trying to manipulate things and people, I claimed the promise in that verse and entrusted my happiness to Him. I then concentrated on learning about how to live like God wanted and implementing it. I would always fall back on the promise that God will give me the desires of my heart if I'd just not worry about it. There were days that were harder to do that than others, but whenever I did, I wasn't disappointed. If there's any doubt in your mind, I can testify that God is faithful!! Indeed He gave me all I ever wanted and more. We don't have the white picket fence, but it's one of those little details that I decided didn't really matter. All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother, but I grew up in the beginning of the lie that a woman must have a career--staying at home and nurturing the future world leaders didn't count. So I worked and worked, and never found a career I wanted more, and I gave up my heart's desire. But God saw things a lot differently. He gave me a godly man who wanted me home and wanted me to raise his children. He also wanted us to home school--a concept I'd never heard of before. But the years that I had the privilege of being with my children day in and day out were the best of my life. How will God top that? These three wonders are my three best friends next to Dave. They are all three gifted in their own precious ways and have blessed me beyond all I could have hoped or imagined. If we had not home schooled I don't think we would ever have been able to build the relationship Dave and I have with our young adults. God has given me the desire of my heart and so much more!!

Setting aside myself to be in His will was the path I took. I served in every way God called me in the body. I came to learn that if all I had was Christ, I had all I needed, and that gave me fulfillment enough. Serving, studying, praying, sharing. That makes life rich! Yet God loves to give ever more. My heart overflows with joy of all the blessings God has given me through the years---even before I gave my heart to Him. If you know not God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, you do not know life. Please set yourself aside and spend time searching with all your heart. God promised you'll find Him!! Remember, God is faithful and will accomplish what He promises.

I work for a company that sends caregivers to homes of the elderly (or handicapped) that need help. We'd been servicing two sisters. Agnes, 80, was wheelchair bound but mentally healthy. Her younger sister is Ethel. She was 2 years younger and had dementia. Agnes went to the hospital after caring for her sister better than herself. She insisted on the best for Ethel. Because of it, Ethel was a very spry 78 when I met her a few weeks ago. Agnes loved Ethel and took very good care of her. Ethel would fuss with Agnes's hair and over her in other loving ways until the day Agnes died, which was today. We had all hoped that Agnes would heal and come home to let their happy little life continue. Much to our sorrow, that wasn't God's will this time.

They were so cute together.

For so long we thought that they were alone in the world, but just two days ago we were suddenly contacted by a sister-in-law and a nephew's wife. So we're happy to say that there is family for Ethel. For the time being we stay with her 24/7. I want to bring Ethel home with me. Unfortunately, I can't and she's not a lost puppy, but somehow I love her so much and I hurt for her. It's never hurt so much to lose a client. Somehow I feel like we've lost both sisters.

Please pray for Ethel that she won't miss her sister so much that she stops trying to live herself. Her dementia isn't so bad that she doesn't know her sister is gone. Maybe some family members will be able to take her in. She needs someone to fuss over.

New and improved...

Anyone who has seen me knows that I am morbidly obese. I've tried many times to diet. The one diet I was successful with was when were were juicing. Found out that the veggie juice before a meal helps speed up your metabolism naturally, besides just being good for you. We quit for the time factor. But it was such a healthy time in my life that I think I have to find a way to do it again. I think I might have a chance at making it all work now. I have taken antidepressants most of my adult life. Sometimes I really resent it and for a while I felt it must be a spiritual inadequacy. But now I know that it's not. It appears to just be a chemical imbalance like thyroid or insulin can get imbalanced. However, the past several months I've really fought the depression. A few weeks ago I saw my doctor and he gave me Abilify in the lowest dose possible. He said it may turn out to be a God-send for me. I think it is. It has indeed lifted the cloud that so engulfed me, but it has calmed my brain too. As a young adult, I was an alcoholic. I have always craved and overdosed on sugar. That feeling of desperation is gone. It's like I see things balanced now---the way I knew in my head things were, but could never believe in my heart or the infamous "feel." I'm seeing reality for what it is and for the first time see it as possible to not just live with, but work on without the Eore "ho-hum" swamping my being. It's pretty exciting because I feel like a "real person" which I haven't felt for a very long time.

The best part of how I'm feeling is that my weight is tackleable now! I think I could do some juicing. I think I can fight the cravings---they feel much more like wants than insatiable starvation! I think I can even get up and do something without worrying about the pain or fatigue (fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue). I don't expect to be glamorous at my age, but I'd love to be as healthy as I can be. I'll have grandchildren before too long and I want to play! I ask for your prayers to keep the can-do attitude and to not miss making the most of every opportunity to be healthy. I pray it for all of you, too. We are God's temple. It's time renovate and redecorate!

Two beautiful sisters shared two "so like God" stories I want everyone to hear.

Marsha and her husband have a farm and sheep are a part of it. They went to their sheep and all the sheep came running and bleeting. They were calling to them like something was wrong, and it was! They looked past the herd and there was a lamb caught in the wire fence with his mommy near him also calling to them. They immediately set out to help, of course. Marsha realized how so like our Shepherd. When we come to Him, especially gathered as a church, to lift a hurting lamb in prayer, He always answers---and if needed will rescue!

Another sister Shigeko wrote me this story: "I found a tiny seedling growing between the pavers. As I looked it carefully, I recognized it. It was a petunia. It took a long time to carefully, gently, slowly pull it out. I whispered to it. "Don't worry, I will take care of you. Trust me, so don't resist!" The seedling was successfully transplanted in the pot and growing now. I thought of God and me. He did not condemn me, "how foolish of you to grow here, do you think you will make it? " No, he would not say that. He would never; condemnation and judgement is never for us who are His children. "

Have a blessed day knowing the love of the Lord Jesus!

Differences can be similar...

My husband, Dave, and I both Scots in our backgrounds, but mine also goes farther back to German and Vikings from Norway. So I liked the quote because I know that sometimes I'm more of a thorn haunting my husband than blessing him! Our teaching elder says that part of the role of a spouse is that God uses them in our refinement. Not that we have to be a painful partner to our better halves, but that we naturally are. No matter how perfect we are for each other, there simply are days where, even those madly in love with each other, will be a bit of a pill for the other to swallow!

Dave and I were a little surprised at how different we were even though, as Dave would always put it, we were from the same socio-economic background. Who knew two families could be the same and yet so different! We were both raised in the mainline Presbyterian denomination. In that we found the most similarities! We left it together with no argument. We rather liked the absolutes they denied. But I digress.

My in-laws were always very sweet and very welcoming to me. They almost gushed sometimes---very demonstrative. And that was fine. Yet somehow their manner was very formal. One may take off their coat and stay awhile, but don't even think of kicking off your shoes! And that's okay. Dave found my family much more relaxed. When my folks relaxed, they kicked their shoes off, put their feet up, and fell asleep right there in the chair! It took Dave a little while to understand that before they did that they had accomplished many tasks or activities. When it came time to relax, they were ready! When one visited his folks they were entertained with tours or movies. If there was some where you wanted to go, my folks would take you, but unless you asked for it, they didn't make arrangements for you. Besides, Granddaddy had so many interesting things there, no one wanted to go anywhere. So we were raised surprisingly different.

When the children came, we learned we had the same goals, but planned different routes! What was really crazy was that we'd even talked about it and were on the same page. What we daring split when we really weren't, our children are really neat people anyway. I think God has honored our efforts, and of course, He's been at work too. Probably had idn't know was that we were in different books! But what's so cool, for all our surprises and appeto work overtime for us, but He's always been at work. I love Him.

He gave me a great guy. For all our differences (and there were many more!), and I think we've really helped each other grow in the Lord because of it, we nevertheless have had a beautiful 25 years.

The only thing my life lacks is grandchildren! And now the Lord is teaching me patience......

Color - the extra blessing

I’ve learned that God is an artistic detail genius. Some friends and I were talking the other night about the Seder and how every detail points to the Messiah and how beautiful that is. Of course the whole Old Testament announces, describes, and glorifies the Christ, who He is and why He's come (and will come again). It’s just heartbreaking that people don’t see the love and beauty all woven through. The more I learn about the details of life (biologically, botanically, etc) the more I marvel at God’s wisdom. I’ve always been fascinated with the human body and how it works—like the involuntary breathing and being able to walk, wave, etc. without consciously giving a command. Then learning about cells, and different cells and how they work and no part of them can exist alone and I think---this through evolution? It’s impossible and illogical. About 15 years ago we went to Glen Eryie in Colorado for a marriage retreat. It was in late February so there were mounds of snow on the ground but much ground exposed with melting. The bright green next to the brilliance of the white was such a stark contrast. Added to that picture were the rich dark green pines and the bright light blue sky. Then I looked around to see us near a red rock wall. Even the blacktop parking lot seemed more beautiful in it’s vivid surrounding. It dawned on me that God didn’t need to give us color. If we’d never had colors, we’d never miss them. But we do have them and they add such joy to our lives that are nothing less than an extra blessing. God is so thoughtful and so loving that He wanted to give the gift of color to His beloved creations to enrich our lives. Just one of those little bonuses He loves to give those He loves. What other gifts do we have that we don’t even recognize?

Musings of a Butterfly

I wanted to use my daughter's laptop tonight but she failed to deal with a problem message and now her computer has shut down screaming, "NO MORE!" I have had days like that where I want to scream "NO MORE!" because I've ignored the trouble brewing messages. What funny creatures we are--fallen and all. Our fallen world, too, is far from perfect. I love the Walgreen's "perfect world" ads--especially the one with Monk and his perfectly square clouds. But that's not our world and certainly not our nature. But when my world and I fall apart, thank God He's there and so lovingly picks up the pieces. As Nancy Clairmont would say, "God uses cracked pots and I'm the visual aid." Indeed! I have been so broken. My dad told me long ago, "Out of faith, hope, and love, never give up the hope for better days." I took it to heart and hung out for hope somewhere...some how... someday. But when I took Jesus to heart, I found hope for every day. I'm so grateful for our God, my Jesus, and His Spirit. How wonderful these cracks can be when healed by the Master!